Ole Miss to hire architect for stadium expansion

JACKSON (AP) – The University of Mississippi’s stadium plans could soon get a little more concrete.

The College Board approved plans Thursday for Ole Miss to pay AECOM Technology Corp. $2.4 million to design the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium expansion.

The project calls for enclosing the north end zone and adding suites and skyboxes on the south and west sides.

The design work will be paid for through donations to Ole Miss’ Forward Together athletics fundraising campaign. The university is also building a new basketball arena and plans to pay for the stadium expansion from the same campaign.

The university is borrowing $80 million to build the basketball arena and parking garage, which could cost up to $100 million. Campbell said construction could be happening on the arena and stadium at the same time, Assistant Athletic Director Kyle Campbell said.

Ole Miss has set a goal of raising $35 million for the Vaught-Hemingway expansion, and the Forward Together website says donors have given $13.5 million so far. The overall campaign has a goal of $150 million and has raised $105 million. The university plans to pay for the expansion solely through donated money and by selling priority seat rights through capital gift agreements, not through borrowing, Campbell said.

Campbell said the university has already sold 30 new suites, and might build even more. He said the school doesn’t know how many seats it will add to the stadium or how much the project will cost.

As part of the stadium renovation, the university also plans to renovate the FedEx Academic Support Center, Starnes Athletic Training Center and Gillom Sports Center. The athletic ticket office, Ole Miss Athletics Foundation and team store would move into Starnes.